Chapter One
The Perfect Crime?
Somewhere in Deep Space
Day Two
0200 GST
"Why did we drop out of hyperspace?" The gang leader asked.
"I don't know. I sent Fraenck down to look at the hyperdrive."
"I got bad news, Cap." The pirate called Fraenck walked into the cockpit of the aging Corellian freighter, wiping grease off of his hands with a damp cloth. "The positive power coupling is shot, the hyperdrive motivators are dead, and, for good measure, our deflector shield generator is down."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. They just went out. It looks like it might've been a power surge…"
"No…no power surge. Our Jedi must be awake. I thought you trapped her in her room with that ysalamiri, Santu." The Twi'lek pilot, Santu Vani, turned around and shrugged. His lekku were wrapped around his neck and he wore a tighter tunic that allowed him to pilot the ship without fear of any fabric catching on a critical lever while the ship was in hyperspace.
"I thought you put the ysalamir in there."
"Don't tell me you left it in the spaceport on Coruscant."
"I'm telling you, Cap. You put the ysalamir in with her."
"Whatever. I'm going to look in on our guest." The leader of the pirate gang walked to the aft compartment and pressed his thumb to the plate. The door opened and the leader saw Crystal lying in the middle of the room, her legs and arms spread out and her eyes closed. She was still clad in her green wedding dress, although the dress was dirty and ripped in a few spots. The leader took a few steps into the room, trying to invoke a response from Crystal. When she didn't respond, he moved closer, standing above her unconscious body. The ysalamiri was still in place next to her, encased in a transparent, shielded container. He heard a pained groan from the stirring Jedi.
"You finally awake?"
"Who…who are you?" Crystal asked, her head pounding.
"My name is Johann. Johann Spece."
"You're a smuggler."
"No. Quite the contrary. I despise smugglers. What I am, is a bounty hunter."
"Bounty hunter?"
"I know, I don't look the part. I look like a rich so-an-so. Well, I am. This job has made me a LOT of money. You see, I only do service with the Empire."
"The Empire? You mean the Imperial Remnant. Hah, I can't believe they'd make you this rich."
"Indeed. However, I have been working for the Empire for 20 years. Long since before the death of the Emperor."
"But…you look like you're around thirty years old."
"Thirty-nine to be exact."
"You started working as a bounty hunter at 19?"
"Yes. I was a wide-eyed youth when I joined the Bounty Hunters Guild. When the Guild broke apart, I sided with Bossk. He taught me a lot, including how to survive. But, I learned how to acquire my merchandise through the tutelage of Boba Fett."
"Fett? I thought he hated people." Crystal tried reading Johann, but she couldn't get a read. In fact, she couldn't feel the Force at all.
"Disorienting, isn't it? The feeling that you're blind? That everything important to you has been taken away?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied.
"Tsk. I'd expect better from a Jedi trained by Luke Skywalker. Honestly…"
"Look, forget the small talk. How did you do this?"
"Simple. That furry snake on that jumble of tubing, there? That's an ysalamiri."
"So, that's how. Now, tell me this. What did you do with my lightsaber?" Johann pulled the weapon out of his coat pocket.
"You mean this? An elegant weapon. Somewhat different than a normal lightsaber."
"It's a double-bladed lightsaber. Can be used with one blade as a sword, or both blades as a staff."
"Yes…I've seen this kind of lightsaber before. Yes…" Johann thought for a long while. "That's it. Lord Vader told me of an ancient Sith Lord. A Sith named Exar Kun."
"You're joking."
"Oh, I mean no jest. Lord Vader obtained this lightsaber and added it to the Emperor's collection."
"You saw the Emperor's collection?"
"Indeed. You see, I was trained in the capture of Jedi Knights. I was the main supplier for Emperor Palpatine's collection."
"Now I remember you. You…" Crystal's eyes filled with a murderous rage. "You killed my grandmother!!"
"Yes…yes, that was your grandmother, wasn't it?"
"I'll kill you!" Johann chuckled at that exclamation.
"I think not, my dear. You are my prisoner. Now, if you'll excuse me…I have work to do…Oh. And don't try to open the door. It has a self destruct mechanism that can and will vent this compartment to space. And those binders are stun binders. Try to struggle too much and you'll get a nasty stun." Johann opened the door to leave.
All of a sudden, the ship shook from impact.
"Cap! Imperial-class Star Destroyer on our tail!! And, an Interdictor just dropped out of hyperspace!!" A voice overrode the panicked crewman.
"Unidentified freighter. You have kidnapped a member of the New Republic Armed Forces. Heave to and prepare to be boarded. Do not attempt to escape or you will be fired upon."
"Cap! I'm getting us out of here!"
"Negative, Fraenck. Calm down. I'll be there in a moment." Johann walked back into the cargo hold and grabbed Crystal by her elbow. He grabbed the ysalamiri and hoisted the nutrient frame onto his back. Crystal tried struggling, but stopped when Johann pulled his blaster. "Come now, dear. I don't want to have to use this." He dragged her to the cockpit and sat her down in one of the empty seats. "Give me a channel to the Star Destroyer."
"Aye, Cap. Channel open."
"This is Captain Johann Spece of the independent freighter, Spece's Pride. Do not approach us or we will kill our hostage." Aerick's voice played out over the comm.
"Crystal! Crystal, are you okay?"
"Aerick! Help me!"
"I'm warning you. Do not approach or we will kill her." He muted the comm. "Take over. The closest planet, where is it?"
"Uhhh…course 187 mark 21. 2 light years."
"What is it?"
"Umm…Taanab."
"Excellent. Continue here. I'm taking Spece's Shackle to Taanab. Keep Pride between the Rebel ships and the Shackle."
"Aye, Cap. Good luck." Johann pulled Crystal out of the chair and pushed her towards the aft end of the ship. The conversation with the Rebel craft followed the pair to the aft docking port.
"Pride, power down and prepare to be boarded."
"Rebel ships, this is the ship's first officer. Come any closer and we will kill our hostage."
"Lay your filthy hands on her and I'll tear you apart limb from fetid limb." Aerick said.
"You and what army?"
"Are you challenging the New Republic Navy?" Johann and Crystal boarded the Lambda-class shuttle and detached from the Pride. The ship headed away from the New Republic ships, towards the edge of the hyperspace shadow the Interdictor was casting. Johann switched the ship's comm to the same channel as the Pride.
"Spece's Pride, this is your final warning. Power down or we will fire."
"And this is your final warning. Approach and your Jedi will die." Pride began maneuvering, following Shackle's vector. A flight of B-wings formed up and began pursuit. The Imperial-class Star Destroyer, Rebel Dawn, began firing their ion cannons at Pride. Most of the shots missed the Pride, however, a volley of bolts slammed into her shields, overloading the freighter's overworked shield generators. A few more bolts splashed against the ship's hull, sending a spider web of lightning across the freighter's hull. The ship came to a dead stop, it's engines disabled and it's navicomputer wiped clean. The B-wings closed the distance, continuing ion fire until they were sure the ship was disabled.
"High Flight, fly cover for the transports."
"Aye sir." Aerick called out. "One Flight…" Before he could finish his order, the freighter exploded, it's self destruct mechanism activated. An inhuman cry flooded the comm as the ship blew. Rebel Dawn activated her tractor beam, pulling the lone escape pod into her hanger.
"Well…we're clear of the hyperspace shadow. Prepare yourself for acceleration to hyperspace." Johann said. He placed his hand on the activator for the hyperdrive. "Rebel Dawn, this is Spece's Shackle. Perhaps now you'll take me seriously. Tell Captain Needa that I will meet with him on Corellia in two days."
"I heard you. You had better have some damn good bodyguards with you, because I will kill you for this."
"You idle prattle bores me to no end, Captain. I assure you, your wife is safe and sound."
"I'll meet you on Corellia." Aerick's voice was subdued.
"Good. Don't forget. If you don't show, I will assume that your wife isn't that important to you." The shuttle entered hyperspace a moment later.
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Coruscant: Military Command
Day Two
0900 GST
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't resign my commission to search for my wife," Aerick said to Admiral Ackbar after he landed on Coruscant.
"Calm yourself, Captain. I understand your concern for your wife. But, we can't afford to be hasty in any decision. The tide is building. We can either be swept away, or prepare to fight the current."
"I understand, Admiral. It's just…"
"Yes?"
"No one else really knows this. I haven't told my squadron members, or my parents. Admiral, Commander Sandskimmer is pregnant."
"Say again? Pregnant?"
"Yes, sir. We just found out a few days ago. I have to get her back as soon as possible."
"Yes, yes. But, we can do this without harming the Commander or her unborn child."
"How?"
"Sit down and let me explain."